Ruby Mae Cardwell, daughter of John and Beulah Burkhart, was born at Colony, Oklahoma on August 5, 1915. She attended the school at Colony and graduated from the Eighth Grade. She and her sweetheart, Clyde Melton Cardwell, were united in marriage on September 12, 1931 at Cordell, Oklahoma. Ruby had just attained the age of 16 years in the month previous to their marriage.

The couple established their first home in the Colony area and lived there for several years while starting their family. The children that were eventually born to them were Anna Clydean, Reba Lavon, Loyal Delmo, Joy Colleen, Carrol Ann, Archie Mervin, Royce Melton, Tommy Douglas, Ricky Ray, Vickie Fay, Janie Beth, Rodney Clay and Danny Von.

In the early years Clyde farmed and operated the Colony cotton gin while Ruby honed her skills in sewing, gardening, cooking and canning – all of which served her family well and demonstrated her resourcefulness and talent as a homemaker, wife and mother. Her family was always well nourished and suitably clothed.

When Clyde became trained as an automobile parts manager, their residence changed first to Cordell then to Clinton and finally to Medford, Oklahoma where Clyde worked for many years as parts manager for the Blubaugh Ford Agency. Ruby took these moves in stride, and when arriving in a new community the first question she most likely had to field was "are all these kids yours?" Ten of the children in the family graduated from high school in the Medford School System. They were all proud to be "Cardinals."

Ruby lived her life of faith and loved her church. She was alternately a Presbyterian, a Baptist and, finally, a Methodist. Her formative years were spent in the Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Colony. She and Clyde later joined the Baptist Church and were very active members of the First Baptist Church of Medford. After moving to Vici in her later years, she became a faithful member of the Vici United Methodist Church where her membership resided at the time of her passing. She has served her Lord as a Sunday school teacher, was a cook at Falls Creek Baptist Camp for many years, and as a member of both the Baptist Women's Missionary Union and the United Methodist Women.

Ruby was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Clyde; by daughters, Clydean Dark and Carrol Kenedy and her husband, Danny; by sons, L.D. and Royce Cardwell; an infant son, Rodney Clay Cardwell; by parents, John and Beulah Burkhart; by two brothers, Archie and Burt Burkhart; by one sister, Irene Bond and by one great granddaughter, Vaune Pregler. She is survived by daughters, Reba Scates, Joy Shaw, Vickey Wirtz and Janie Loman; by sons, Archie, Tommy, Rick and Danny Cardwell; by 30 grandchildren, 49 great-grandchildren (with 3 more on the way) and one great great grandchild; by one sister, Matilda Smith; by many nieces and nephews, other beloved relatives and a host of loving and admiring friends.